1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a retractable seat device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A retractable seat device disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-347865 is known. This retractable seat device includes a seat body that can be stored in a storage recess provided in a vehicle floor when the seat body is not used. The state of the seat body is switched between the stored state and a usable state by moving the seat body around a rotation center provided on the vehicle floor. More specifically, legs (front and rear legs) for supporting the seat body in the usable state are arranged at the front and rear of the seat body. The rear leg is fixed to a link member that is rotatably connected to the vehicle floor at the rotation center, and the front leg is moved in association with the rear leg by a snap member corresponding to a link. When the link member rotates in a first direction, the front and rear legs are folded in association with the rotation of the link member and the seat body is stored into the storage recess. When the link member rotates in a second direction, the front and rear legs are unfolded in association with the rotation of the link member to support the seat body on the vehicle floor.
The front and rear legs are provided with lock mechanisms that are engageable with strikers arranged on the vehicle floor. The lock mechanisms of the front and rear legs engage with the strikers on the vehicle floor to secure the seat body in the usable state.
The lock mechanisms provided on the front and rear legs typically have an interlock structure shown in FIG. 4 which includes a ratchet (lock disc) 91 and a pawl (lock lever) 92. In this structure, taking the swinging movements of the front and rear legs that are unfolded in association with the rotation of the link member into account, an amount by which a striker 94 can be inserted into a guide groove 93 formed in the front or rear leg is set relatively large (deep) to ensure the reliability of the lock. However, when this interlock structure is used, a large gap C is provided between the striker 94 and an upper wall of the guide groove 93 which faces the striker 94. This gap C generates abnormal noise while the vehicle is in motion, which may annoy the user.